way sms: W.I.P. Weds - Ella Griffin

WIP Weds is dedicated to ELLA GRIFFIN, author of Postcards from the Heart, today
I must say I am looking forward to Ella's next novel after enjoying Postcards from the Heart

Photos courtesy of the author

Ella, thank you for being my guest

1. Please tell us about your next novel which is due to be published in New Year, 2013.

It’s called ‘The Heart Whisperer’(I’d love to know what you and your readers think of the title!) It's a bittersweet comedy about coming to terms with your past and learning to love your future.

Claire Dillon’s beautiful, charismatic mother, was a GP who died, tragically, when she was only 33-years-old. Her death has cast a long shadow over the Dillon family, but especially over Claire, who has always blamed herself for what happened.

Her mum had everything to live for. A husband who loved her, two children who adored her, patients who depended on her.

As she turns 33 herself, Claire can’t help seeing her own life through her mother’s eyes. Her acting career is a joke. She’s permanently short of money. Her estranged brother, Nick, thinks she is a waste of space.

Her reclusive father talks to his dog more than he does to her. And ever since she was dumped by the man she thought she loved, she’s been hiding out in her rock star friend Ray’s gloomy basement playing sweary Scrabble and watching box-sets.

She resolves to give herself one year in which to try to create a new life that will make her mum proud.

Then tragedy strikes again and Claire is thrown back together with her brother. Both of them are forced to return to their family home to confront some hard truths about the past that have shaped the people they have become.

2. What stage is the new novel at? Do you have a book cover design yet? Do you get to choose the cover design?

I’ve just finished it. The copy edits went off last Monday. I am a demon for making changes to things at the last minute but I have sworn that I won’t make any at the proof stage. Well, not many anyway!

The cover is being developed now (not right now as it’s 10.15 on a Sunday night as I write this!) I will have some input into the design and I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I know everyone says you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover but I think it’s hard not to!

I loved the cover of my first book, ‘Postcards from the Heart’. It was inspired by a Miro painting I have always admired.

3. Can you share a little excerpt with us?

Not until it’s all been approved. But I can share this quote that appears on the title page.

It sums up the whole story, really.

‘Sometimes your head is shouting so

loudly, you can’t hear what your heart

is whispering.’ Anon

4. Who is your favourite character in your new novel and why?

Oh God! I can’t choose! They’re like my children. I can’t have a favourite (at least, I can’t admit to one)!

I suppose I feel closest to Claire. She didn’t just lose her mum when she was six. She lost the family she would have had if the accident hadn’t happened.

In a lot of ways, she hasn’t really grown up. I found, when I was writing, that I really, really wanted her to be happy but the past has a strong hold on her so she didn’t always make things easy for me!

I feel real sympathy for her brother Nick. He had to look after his little sister when he was only a child himself. He grew up too fast.

He has cut himself off completely from his childhood and reinvented himself as a relationship coach. He loves fixing other people’s problems. But underneath it all, he’s still broken himself.

I also have a real soft spot for his perfect American wife, Kelly, who is not as perfect as she seems.

I have a bit of crush on Ray, Claire’s oldest friend, who is the gorgeous ex-lead singer of a pretty famous band. He writes terrible jingles for ads while he’s waiting for the band’s comeback to happen and he worries a lot of about his skin!

And I absolutely love Dog, Claire’s dad’s eccentric, hairy lurcher, though Claire doesn’t share my feelings! She’s terrified of dogs!

He looks a bit like this!